Automatic gate attachment.



No. 736,568. PATENTBD AUG. 18, 1903.

' F. H. .WARNE.

AUTOMATIC GATE ATTACHMENT.

APPLIOATION rnnn BEPT. 15. 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. S A 2 E Q R a N i Q a PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

I. H. WARNE. 7 AUTOMATIC GATE ATTACHMENT.

APPLIUATION FILED arm. 16. 1902. so MODEL, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4a 48 WHIJZSSQ Lykpfov.

Patented August 18, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. WARNE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC GATE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,568, dated August18, 1903.

Application filed September 15, 1902. Serial No. 123,500. No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK I'IJVARNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic Gate Attachment, of which thefollowing is a specifieation.

The invention relates to an automatic attachment for gates.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofthe means employed for operating swinging gates and to provide a simple,inexpensive, and efiicient device adapted to be readily applied to anyordinary swinging gate and to be operated by any suitable means andcapable of changing the position of the gate, whereby the gate is causedto open and close by gravity.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which when actuated by a hand-lever or a vehicle-operatedrock-shaft willbe locked in a position for causing the gate to swing inthe desired direction, thereby obviating the necessity of holding suchmechanism by hand or other means until the gate has completed itsswinging movement.

Another obj ect of the invention is to provide means for automaticallylocking the gate, actuating mechanism at the beginning of thegate-opening movement and for automatically releasing the same as thegate completes such movement and for locking the same at the completionof the closing movement, whereby the gate-actuating mechanism is heldagainst movement during the movement of the gate to cause a positiveoperation of the latter and is permitted to be operated only when thegate has completed its movement.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gate constructed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of thegateactuating mechanism, illustrating the position of the parts when thegate is closed. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the arrangement ofthe parts when the oscillatory gate-operating lever is shifted to openthe gate. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View, the parts being arrangedas shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the cap-plate. Fig. 7 is a detail Viewillustrating the construction of the engaging arm of theautomatically-operated locking device for holding the gate operating oractuating lever until the gate has completed its opening or closingmovement. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View on the line 8 S of Fig. 2.Fig.9 is a detail perspective view of a portion of thehorizontally-oscillating lever, illustrating the construction foradjusting the end shoulders.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a swinging gate, which may be of any desired constructionand which is connected at its bottom with a hinge-post or support 2 by ahinge 3 of the ordinary construction, the pintle of the hinge beingpreferably provided with a nut 4 or other suitable means for preventingthe parts of the hinge from separating when the gate is tilted, ashereinafter described. The top of the gate is provided at its inner orrear end with a vertical pintle 5, extending upward from anattachment-plate 6 and passing through an eye of a gate operating oractuating lever 9, which is mounted upon the hinge-post, as hereinafterexplained, and which when oscillated is adapted to swing the pintle 5 ofthe gate rearward and laterally to throw the gate out of equilibrium,whereby the gate is caused to close or open by gravity.

The lever 9 is provided with a tapering enlargement or head 10, havingoppositely-disposed forwardly-converging curved slots 1], receivingpivots 12 and adapted to permit the lever 9 to be fulcrumed at eitherside,whereby the upper portion of the rear end of the gate is swungrearward and laterally when the lever 9 is oscillated. The pivots, whichmay be of any desired construction, preferably consist of studs formedintegral with a cap-plate 13 and having threaded upper portions toreceive nuts for securing the oscillatory lever 9 on the pivots Thecap-plate, which may consist of cast-iron or be constructed of any othersuitable material, is secured by screws or other suitable fasteningdevices to the top Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 ofFig. 2.

.of the hinge-post and is provided with side or enlargements operate tospace the oscillatory gate-actuating lever from the cap-plate to preventaccumulation of moisture between the oscillatory gate-operating leverand the cap-plate, whereby the parts are prevented from freezing andbecoming inoperative, and rusting is in a great measure avoided.

When the gate is closed, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, eachslot 11 is concentric with the pivot of the other slot, and the lever isadapted to be oscillated in either direction from such position. Thisoscillating le- Ver is provided with a rearwardly-extending arm 17,which is connected with operating mechanism, as hereinafter described,and when the lever 9 is oscillated it is locked in such position duringthe swinging of the gate until the latter nearly arrives at the end ofits movement by an approximately Y- shaped locking device 18, consistingof a pair of rearwardly diverging arms and a forwardly-extending arm.The rearwardly-diverging arms have slotted rear ends 19 and are pivotedto posts or arms 20 by pins or other suitable fastening devices, whichare arranged horizontally and which permit the locking device 18 toswing upward and downward. The forwardly-extending arm of the lockingdevice is adapted to engage a flange 22 of the lever 9, and it isprovided at its outer end with an oppositely-beveled head 23, which isarranged in the path of a releasing device 24, carried by the gate-pivot5 and consisting of a conical roller or wheel 25, mounted on a journalof an arm. The journal is formed at the outer end of the releasingdevice, which latter is provided at its inner end with a clamp 26,consisting of a split eye provided with extensions or ears 27, which areconnected by a-clamping-screw 28 around the gate-pivot 5; but any othermeans may be employed for adjustably securing the releasing device tothe pintle of the gate. The arm of the releasing device extends rearwardfrom the gate and is disposed longitudinally thereof, and theoppositely-beveled head 23 is rounded at the corners, and when the gatereaches the limit of its movement the conical roller willhave passedunder thehead and lifted the locking device out of engagement with theflange of the lever 9. The flange 22 of the lever 9 is provided with acentral recess 29 and side recesses 30, forming end shoulders. Thecentral recess is located directly beneath the forwardly-extendingengaging arm of the Y- shaped locking device when the gate is closed, asshown in Fig. 2. hen the lever 9 is oscillated in either direction, itwithdraws the roller 25 of the releasing device from beneath the lockingdevice and permits the same to fall into one of the end recesses,whereby the gate-operating lever is held in such position until at theend of the movement of the gate the roller 25 of the releasing deviceagain comes in contact with the head and releases the lever 9. The lever9 is then free to be operated to returnthe gate to its closed )osition.

ment bya pair of adjustable stops-33, located at opposite sides of thecap-plate and mounted in the projections or arms 20, as clearly shown inFigs. 2 and 3. These adjustable stops consist of screws and are adaptedto limit the movement of the lever, whereby the mechanism is adapted forlight and heavy gates. The screws are provided at their outer ends withheads by means of which they maybe readily rotated to move inward andoutward.

The end recesses or shoulders of the flange 22 are adjustable tocorrespond with the adjustment of the stops 33 by means of plates 53,extending upward from the lever 9 and provided with recesses conformingto the 0011- figuration of the end recesses of the flange 22. Theseadjustable plates, which have their lower edges fitted against the lever9, are provided with horizontal slots 54, receiving clamping-screws 55,mounted in threaded perforations of the flange and adapted to secure theadjustable plates at any desired adjustment.

The oscillatory lever is locked in its closed position to preventaccidental movement of it or the gate by means of a latch-lever 34,consisting of a bell-crank lever fulcrumed on a pin 35 between ears 36of lever 9 and having a depending arm 36, extending through a slot 37 ofthe lever 9 and arranged to engage a recess 38 of the lug or enlargement16 at the back of the cap-plate. The latch-lever 34 is spring-actuatedand the rear lug 16 is oppositely beveled, as shown in Fig. 6, to enablethe latch to automatically engagethe recess 38 when the gate closes. Thelatchlever 34 has its upwardly-extending arm bifurcated to receive theinner end of a rod 39, which extends through a guide 40 and which hasdisposed on it a coiled spring 41, interposed between the guide and apin 42 of the rod, whereby the latch-lever is held in engagement withthe rear lug of the cap-plate.

The rod 39 is provided at its outer end with a head 43, extendinglaterally from opposite sides of the rod and engaged byinwardlyextending arms of L-shaped levers 44, fulcrumed at their angles011 lugs 45 of the stem of the lever 9 and having their outer armsengaged by projections 46 of a slide 47. The projections 46 are formedby fastening de vices, which extend downward from the slide into slots48 of the rear end of the lever 9. The slide is designed to be connectedwith any suitable operating mechanism, and when the latter is actuatedby hand or by a vehicle or other means the slide is first reciprocatedto operate and throw the latch 3i out of engagement with the cap-plate.

The slide, which is provided at its ends with perforations forconnecting rods 40, cables, or other suitable connections to it, ismaintained in a central position by the coiled spring 41 and lever 44.The rods may be connected with levers 50, as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawin gs, which levers are provided with rods 51 or other form ofhandle for enabling them to be oscillated.

The gate is provided with a spring-actuated latch 52, which is adaptedto be operated by hand and which engages the keeper 31, which may be ofany desired construction. Suitable auxiliary keepers forholding the gatein its open position are mounted on the posts or uprights which supportthe levers 50.

It will be seen that the mechanism for operating the gate is exceedinglysimple and inexpensive in construction, that it is positive and reliablein operation, and that it is adapted to be opened from a distance ateither side of it by a person on horseback or in a vehicle.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, the combinationwith a gate, of a horizontally-oscillating lever provided with oppositeslots, pivots arranged in the slots and adapted to fulcrum the latter ateither side, and adjustable stops located at opposite sides of thelever, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supportprovided at opposite sides with projections, an oscillatory levermounted on the support and designed to be connected with a gate, anapproximately Y- shaped locking device having its diverging armsfulcrumed on the projections and its central arm arranged to engage thelever, and a releasing device designed to be carried by the gate fordisengaging the locking device, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supportprovided with opposite projections, an oscillating lever designed to beconnected with a gate, a locking device pivoted to the projections andarranged to engage the lever, screws mounted on the projections andarranged to limit the movement of the lever, and means for releasing thelever from the locking device, substantially as described.

at. I11 a device of the class described, the combination of a support,anoscillatory lever, a latch-lever carried by the oscillatory lever forengaging the support, means for holding the latch-lever in engagementwith the support, operating mechanism connected with the latch-lever,and an automatically operating locking device for engaging theoscillating lever, substantially as described.

5. Ina device of the class described, the

combination of an oscillating lever, a latchlever mounted thereon, a rodconnected with the latch-lever and adapted to be reeiprocated to actuatethe same, a slide, and means actuated by the slide for reciprocating therod.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of an oscillatinglever, a latch lever mounted on the said lover, a rod connected with thelatch-lever and having a head, a slide, and a pair of levers connectingthe slide with the head of the rod, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of an oscillatinglever, a latchlever mounted thereon, a rod connected with thelatch-lever and having a head, l.-shaped levers fulcrumed on theoscillating lever and engaging the head of the rod, and a slide mountedon the oscillating lever and engaging the L-shaped levers, substantiallyas described.

8. In a device 01 the class described, the combination of ahorizontally-oscillati ng lever designed to be connected with a gate andprovided with a projecting portion having central and side recesses, theside recesses forming shoulders, adjustable plates mounted on theprojecting portion and capable of inward and outward movement to varythe position of the end shoulders, and a locking device for e11- gagingthe said recesses.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of ahoriZontally-oscillating lever designed to be connected with a gate andprovided with aprojecting portion having central and side recesses, theside recesses forming shoulders, adjustable plates mounted on theprojecting portion and capable of inward and outwardmovement to varytheposition of the end shoulders, a locking device for engaging the saidrecesses, and adjustable stops for limiting the movement of the lever,substantially as described.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of ahorizontally-0scillating lever designed to be connected with a gate andhavin g a projecting portion provided with central and side recesses,slotted plates mounted on the projecting portion and having recessesconforming to the configuration of the end recesses, said plates beingcapable of inward and outward movement to vary the position of the endrecesses, clamping-screws arranged in the slots of the plates andsecuring the latter in their adjusted position, apivoted looking devicearranged to engage the said recesses, and adjustable means for limitingthe swing of the lever, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK II. \VARNE.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE FARRAR, O. P. MoRsER.

